Public holidays
Mali: 12 public holiday dates in 2026 (12 days off) and 12 in 2027 (12 days off), with 249 working days in 2026 and 254 in 2027. National holidays only: regional ones are not included.
| Date | ISO week | Holiday | Day off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday 1 January 2026 | 2026-W01 | New Year's Day | Yes |
| Tuesday 20 January 2026 | 2026-W04 | Armed Forces Day | Yes |
| Friday 20 March 2026 | 2026-W12 | Eid al-Fitr | Yes |
| Thursday 26 March 2026 | 2026-W13 | Martyrs' Day | Yes |
| Monday 6 April 2026 | 2026-W15 | Easter Monday | Yes |
| Friday 1 May 2026 | 2026-W18 | Labor Day | Yes |
| Monday 25 May 2026 | 2026-W22 | Africa Day | Yes |
| Wednesday 27 May 2026 | 2026-W22 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Tuesday 25 August 2026 | 2026-W35 | Prophet's Birthday | Yes |
| Tuesday 1 September 2026 | 2026-W36 | Prophet's Baptism | Yes |
| Tuesday 22 September 2026 | 2026-W39 | National Day of the Republic of Mali | Yes |
| Friday 25 December 2026 | 2026-W52 | Christmas Day | Yes |
| Date | ISO week | Holiday | Day off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 1 January 2027 | 2026-W53 | New Year's Day | Yes |
| Wednesday 20 January 2027 | 2027-W03 | Armed Forces Day | Yes |
| Tuesday 9 March 2027 | 2027-W10 | Eid al-Fitr | Yes |
| Friday 26 March 2027 | 2027-W12 | Martyrs' Day | Yes |
| Monday 29 March 2027 | 2027-W13 | Easter Monday | Yes |
| Saturday 1 May 2027 | 2027-W17 | Labor Day | Yes |
| Sunday 16 May 2027 | 2027-W19 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Tuesday 25 May 2027 | 2027-W21 | Africa Day | Yes |
| Saturday 14 August 2027 | 2027-W32 | Prophet's Birthday | Yes |
| Saturday 21 August 2027 | 2027-W33 | Prophet's Baptism | Yes |
| Wednesday 22 September 2027 | 2027-W38 | National Day of the Republic of Mali | Yes |
| Saturday 25 December 2027 | 2027-W51 | Christmas Day | Yes |
| Holiday | 2026 | 2027 | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eid al-Fitr | Friday 20 March 2026 | Tuesday 9 March 2027 | −11 days |
| Eid al-Adha | Wednesday 27 May 2026 | Sunday 16 May 2027 | −11 days |
| Prophet's Birthday | Tuesday 25 August 2026 | Saturday 14 August 2027 | −11 days |
| Prophet's Baptism | Tuesday 1 September 2026 | Saturday 21 August 2027 | −11 days, changes month |
| Easter Monday | Monday 6 April 2026 | Monday 29 March 2027 | −8 days, changes month |
A shift ignores the year: +19 days means 19 days later in the calendar.
| Month | 2026 | 2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 20 | 19 | −1 |
| February | 20 | 20 | 0 |
| March | 20 | 20 | 0 |
| April | 21 | 22 | +1 |
| May | 18 | 20 | +2 |
| June | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| July | 23 | 22 | −1 |
| August | 20 | 22 | +2 |
| September | 20 | 21 | +1 |
| October | 22 | 21 | −1 |
| November | 21 | 22 | +1 |
| December | 22 | 23 | +1 |
| Q1 | 60 | 59 | −1 |
| Q2 | 61 | 64 | +3 |
| Q3 | 63 | 65 | +2 |
| Q4 | 65 | 66 | +1 |
| Year | 249 | 254 | +5 |
Weekdays by the local weekend (Sunday and Saturday), minus the public holidays most people have off.
The first day of the calendar year in the Gregorian calendar, 1 January. Cultures and religions that follow a lunisolar or lunar calendar celebrate their New Year at other points of the year. Japan celebrates New Year on 1 January, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, instead of with the Chinese calendar that was in use until 1873.
At work: Fine to mention, and a natural moment to wish colleagues well.
20 January is Armed Forces Day, a public holiday in Mali.
At work: Fine to mention. A day off.
Eid al-Fitr, the "festival of breaking the fast", is the first of the two main festivals in Islam. It falls on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar, and marks the end of the month-long, dawn-to-dusk fasting of Ramadan. It begins with a communal prayer and is followed by visits to relatives, giving gifts and sharing meals.
At work: Very welcome to mention. Its date follows the lunar calendar and shifts every year, so keep plans flexible. During Ramadan itself, colleagues who fast may prefer meetings earlier in the day and not over lunch.
26 March honours the victims of the 1991 coup d'état.
At work: A solemn day, so avoid "enjoy" wishes.
Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus and is the most important feast of the Christian year. Families go to church and share a festive meal, and in many places Easter eggs are decorated and broken together as a symbol of the empty tomb. Easter is a moveable feast, with its date set by a lunisolar calendar. Easter Monday, the day after, is a public holiday in more than 50 predominantly Christian countries.
At work: Widely welcome to mention. Colleagues may be away for the whole long weekend.
International Workers' Day, on 1 May, honours workers and the labour movement. The date was chosen to commemorate the 1886 general strike in the United States that culminated in the Haymarket affair, and the day was adopted in support of a "great international demonstration" for the eight-hour day.
At work: Fine to mention the day off. In some countries it has a political side, so keep it about the break.
Marks 25 May 1963, when representatives of thirty African nations met in Addis Ababa and founded the Organisation of African Unity. When the African Union replaced it in 2002 the date stayed.
At work: Fine to mention. A day off where it is a holiday; the card shows the official days off.
Eid al-Adha, the "festival of the sacrifice", is the second of the two main festivals in Islam. It falls on the 10th of Dhu al-Hijja, the last month of the Islamic calendar. It honours the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son at God's command. The Eid prayer is held in the morning, followed by the ritual sacrifice of a livestock animal, and celebrations carry on for the three following days.
At work: Very welcome to mention. As with Eid al-Fitr, the date follows the lunar calendar, so keep plans flexible.
Mawlid is an annual festival commemorating the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, on 12 Rabi' al-awwal, the third month of the Islamic calendar. It was first publicly celebrated by Gökböri, a deputy of Saladin, and the Ottomans declared it an official holiday. Celebrants recite religious poetry in praise of Muhammad.
At work: Respectful to mention. Not every colleague marks it in the same way.
The Baptism of the Prophet, on 19 Rabi' al-awwal, is a holiday that Mali is the only country to celebrate.
At work: Welcome to mention among Muslims. A day off.
22 September marks Mali's independence from France in 1960.
At work: Very welcome to mention. A day off.
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on 25 December. Eastern Christian Churches that follow the older Julian calendar celebrate it on 25 December of that calendar, which currently corresponds to 7 January. It is a public holiday in many countries, and many non-Christians celebrate it culturally too.
At work: Widely welcome to mention. Plan important meetings before the break. If you're unsure whether someone celebrates it, "Happy holidays" is a safe choice.
Open Mali in TimeBento, next to the other places you work with.